Shots were fired at Canberra airport.

[Warrigal]

Some are getting them through the mail. Not illegal because they come disassembled and you have to assemble it for it to be illegal which is crazy.

It is harder to do that in Australia because, being an island continent, customs are on the lookout for smuggled guns. Criminal bikie organisations are the main source of illegal guns and the police keep a close watch on members. They also trade in smuggled drugs.

 

[hollydolly]

It is harder to do that in Australia because, being an island continent, customs are on the lookout for smuggled guns. Criminal bikie organisations are the main source of illegal guns and the police keep a close watch on members. They also trade in smuggled drugs.

Same here.. for the same reasons, being an Island Nation ..

 

[Warrigal]

Latest report on yesterday's shooting. Crazy seems to be the right term to apply.

NSW man charged with firearm offences over shooting at Canberra Airport - ABC News

 

[Alligatorob]

Background checks

My guess is that most gun sales in Utah do not involve background checks or any reporting. Many guns are sold in private sales, and at gun shows. The Gun show loophole allows most anyone to buy or sell a gun without background checks and pretty much unregulated.

Here is a list of some of the upcoming gun shows within about a 2 hour drive of where I live. I count 6 between now and the end of the year.

Find all the Utah gun shows on this 2022 events calendar.

Note one of the September shows claims to have 400,000 attendees, these are big business.

We own a lot of firearms, all legal, none registered or permitted, and never had a background check... We do keep them safely under lock and key, and have no ammunition in the house. Most were inherited or given to us, a few I bought back when I hunted. I had 2 handguns but have given both away, to family members who I am quite sure are safe.

 

[Jeni]

well we have Background checks here... and we don't have anywhere nearly as many shootings...

Considering the difference in population and perhaps the checks are more accurate......
so many like names and possibilities i think some background checks not only for guns but also employment ...........error on the side of might be mistaken identity........

An example i always use is one man (in my state) bought a gun ........filled out paperwork said nothing about receiving a restraining order the very day he went in to gun store ......
a check would not show it as it could be months before entered into system ......his son took gun to a school and shot classmates and himself ........... father got 3 years for perjury for filling out paperwork incorrectly. not exactly a comfort to parents who lost a child .... his son had issues and a girl broke up with him.....

I feel if the correct boxes are checked some clerks send on through........this happens on many items fill out as they expect chances of being caught are slim.......

perhaps in your country there is less alcohol and drug issues........... and perhaps even less mental illness issues...
There seems to be an idea that rules and laws always work as intended but many do NOT.

 

[Murrmurr]

..really ?... so all those people running around shooting everyone in the USA have permits, and have been vetted by the police ?

More accurately, no. Nearly all gang-related shootings involve illegally obtained weapons. A little over half of killings related to spouse-on-spouse domestic violence involve legally obtained weapons, and about a third of those weapons were borrowed from a relative or friend. The majority of mass shootings involved legally obtained weapons, but not all were obtained by the shooter.

I forget the exact numbers. I saw the stats charted on a US gun-crime website. I didn't save the link, but it's ez to look it up.

Some US states require more in-depth background checks than others. some do not require them at all, and some actually prohibit them ( https://www.shrm.org/ResourcesAndTo...dates/Pages/state-laws-background-checks.aspx ). Some states require registering your firearms, some do not. Some allow open carry, some allow concealed carry. Some have long wait periods, some have short ones, some have no wait period.

All those things ^ depend on the type of gun, and that also varies from state to state, but not by much.

There is one constant - you can't buy or own or possess a gun if you've ever been charged with a felony. And I think that if you've ever been housed in a mental hospital, you can't own, buy, or possess a gun unless you have clearance from a mental health professional.

In any case, a) gun theft is too common, and, b) all 50 states agree you can't own a bazooka, missile-launcher, an armed tank, and most grenades.

 

[Warrigal]

More accurately, no. Nearly all gang-related shootings involve illegally obtained weapons. A little over half of killings related to spouse-on-spouse domestic violence involve legally obtained weapons, and about a third of those weapons were borrowed from a relative or friend. The majority of mass shootings involved legally obtained weapons, but not all were obtained by the shooter.

I forget the exact numbers. I saw the stats charted on a US gun-crime website. I didn't save the link, but it's ez to look it up.

Some US states require more in-depth background checks than others. some do not require them at all, and some actually prohibit them ( https://www.shrm.org/ResourcesAndTo...dates/Pages/state-laws-background-checks.aspx ). Some states require registering your firearms, some do not. Some allow open carry, some allow concealed carry. Some have long wait periods, some have short ones, some have no wait period.

All those things ^ depend on the type of gun, and that also varies from state to state, but not by much.

There is one constant - you can't buy or own or possess a gun if you've ever been charged with a felony. And I think that if you've ever been housed in a mental hospital, you can't own, buy, or possess a gun unless you have clearance from a mental health professional.

In any case, a) gun theft is too common, and, b) all 50 states agree you can't own a bazooka, missile-launcher, an armed tank, and most grenades.

One advantage in Australia is that all states and territories have roughly the same laws. This came about by consensus soon after the 1996 Port Arthur massacre.

 

[Murrmurr]

One advantage in Australia is that all states and territories have roughly the same laws. This came about by consensus soon after the 1996 Port Arthur massacre.

Yeah, Americans are no less confused than visitors. And it's really a drag to have to go online or send for the booklets to find out what in the heck to do with your firearms while traveling. Whenever I'd cross a border I used to stop at the first visitor's center I'd see and ask questions. Last thing I was looking for was spending time in another state's jail.

 

[chic]

Yeah, Americans are no less confused than visitors. And it's really a drag to have to go online or send for the booklets to find out what in the heck to do with your firearms while traveling. Whenever I'd cross a border I used to stop at the first visitor's center I'd see and ask questions. Last thing I was looking for was spending time in another state's jail.

I think things like state laws are what makes the USA the USA. I like the diversity, but don't travel with guns so it's a nonissue for me.

 

[Murrmurr]

I think things like state laws are what makes the USA the USA. I like the diversity, but don't travel with guns so it's a nonissue for me.

I agree, but it is a drag for gun owners to have to know all the individual state laws when traveling.

As a responsible gun owner, I do wish all states required thorough background checks, though. I'd hate for that to become a federal law - the only reason it isn't is so congress can avoid the arguing and division and the cost - and mandatory background checks won't stop criminals from getting guns, but it would reduce crime and enhance national safety...maybe not by a whole lot, but any reduction is a win. Best of all (imo), it would finally put an end to that particular decades-long debate.